Grow Up and Be Kids
by whatifimnotthehero
Summary: Severus adopts a 5 year old Harry Potter after finding out he has been mistreated at the hands of his relatives. Snape is I guess OOC concerning Harry. This is just a story where Harry grows up at Hogwarts with Snape and the misadventures he has. Maybe eventual Drarry. Please Read and Review.


**Chapter 1**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or anything like that. **

Harry Potter had been at Hogwarts for less than a day and he wasn't sure why he had been brought to the castle to be honest. All he knew was that a very severe looking man had picked him up and then they had disappeared from Privet Drive and were standing on the road in front of a castle. If he hadn't been so astonished he would have probably been frightened. The moment they arrived inside the castle, the man led him off to what looked like were his rooms. He sat Harry on a couch and instructed him not to move until he came back. Sitting on a couch was better than being locked in his cupboard any day so he happily obliged. There was also the uncertainty of any punishment that might come from him disobeying the man's instructions. He was so used to receiving a beating for practically nothing that he almost always expected it, and then to be sent to his cupboard without dinner.

It wasn't long before the man came sweeping back into the room and sent him a reproachful look. Since he had arrived the man hadn't sad very much at all to him, the only memorable thing being to sit still until he returned. Harry watched him curiously until the man sighed and disappeared into what looked to be the bathroom. He came back holding various vials and creams and sat them down on the table in front of Harry. He then instructed Harry to stand up and he pulled the oversized shirt off of him and inhaled at the bruises at the bruises that littered the boy's body. He then told him to hold still that he was going to rub some creams on him that would make the cuts and bruises go away, and then he gave Harry some potions to drink. Harry watched him closely making sure that he wasn't going to lash out at the opportune moment, when he had let his guard down. Then came the bath and the man actually shrunk clothes that would fit him! They were so nice and Harry smiled brightly at the new clothes that he was wearing.

"That'll have to do for now. Tomorrow I will take you shopping for things children your age might need," Severus said warily and Harry just blinked up at him.

"Do I have to go home now?" Harry asked carefully.

"No, this is home now, I'm afraid," Severus said carefully. "I'm Severus and you can call me that."

"Sev…Sev..," Harry struggled with the name.

"Sev will do for now," the man said lightly. "Are you hungry? You must be, you look half starved. Molly Weasley will have a field day fattening you up."

Harry couldn't believe his luck, he was getting to live in this castle and new clothes and this man seemed way nicer than Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon. The best part was the large lunch that the man ordered for them to eat, and the man would put more on his plate each time he had finished. Harry couldn't remember ever eating this well in his entire life. When he had eaten his fill he grinned brightly at the man received a raised eyebrow in return. Harry had thought that lunch was meant to be the best part, but then the man gave him an ice lolly, he had seen Dudley with them so many times and had never been allowed to have one of his own. After lunch his lolly, Severus cleaned him up and gave him some parchment and crayons and told him to be good, that he was going to get some work done.

When bedtime came Harry wasn't sure what to expect, he looked thoughtfully at the closet by the door and assumed that was where he was meant to sleep. Then Severus opened a door next to the bathroom and ushered him inside and told him that this would be his room from now on. There was a large bed in the room that was decorated in bright colors with crests that Severus said represented the houses of Hogwarts. He apologized for being ill prepared when it came to clothing and again shrunk some of his own clothing for Harry to wear to bed. Harry looked up at him doubtfully when Severus sat him on the end of the bed and pulled back the covers for him. Severus had to reassure him that this was indeed his bed, and that as long as he was around Harry would never have to sleep in a cupboard under the stairs again. Harry smiled slightly at him before crawling up to where Severus was and allowing the man to tuck him in.

The next day Harry almost died of pure ecstasy from seeing Diagon Alley alone. All of the brightly colored shops and the witches and wizards roaming the streets, his favorite part was when he saw someone use magic. Severus led him down the streets and to a shop where he said someone named Madam Malkin would help him find some new clothes. Proper clothes that were his only and not Dudley's first. Harry didn't complain once as the woman took his measurements and made him try on loads of different trousers until she found the right ones for him, he simply beamed up at her. She was quite taken with his how lovely he was and commended him for not complaining like every other child that came through the shop. Severus seemed pleased with this as well, because the man smirked at the woman's comments that he was well behaved. He got brand new socks, and underwear with something called snitches on them, and pajamas, and shirts and trousers, and even robes, which made him laugh because he thought he looked like Severus in the black robes.

Afterwards, Severus took him to the toy shop and told him that he could pick out any 3 toys in the shop. His eyes lit up, but he was wary that he would get into trouble if he picked anything too expensive, after all he already gotten so many new clothes today. He spotted the toy broomstick and the little display that showed children riding it, and he couldn't look away, but he knew that it was too much. He shook his head and walked away trying to find something simpler, before Severus intervened. Harry was looking at the discounted toys when Severus took his hand and led him to the broomstick and asked him he wanted the toy. He shook his head fiercely denying any sort of desire for such a toy.

"You can have the broomstick if you like," Severus goaded him once more.

"It's too much," Harry said shaking his head once more.

"I said any toys, money is of no matter here."

"You probly work hard for your money," Harry said as if he had heard this said a thousand times before.

"I do work very hard, but my mother left me a lot of money, more money than anyone could possibly spend in their life," Severus explained. "If I want to buy you things, let me okay?"

"Okay," Harry said still unsure.

In the end Harry ended up with the toy broom, a stuffed lion (much to Severus' dismay), and a junior potions set (much to Severus' approval.) After buy the toys, they headed to the Leaky Cauldron to have lunch, and Severus took note about how marveled the boy was by everything. He helped Harry order and then set out to find out more about the boy.

"Have you ever been to London before?" Severus asked thoughtfully.

"No," Harry shook his head fiercely. "I was never allowed."

"Do you only speak when spoken to?"

"Yes!"

"Why?"

"Uncle Vernon would punish me if I spoke out of turn," he said after a moment.

"I don't want you to feel like you need to be that way with me. If you want or need to say something at anytime no matter the importance please feel free, just use your manners," Severus scowled at the thought of how the family had treated the boy.

"Okay," Harry nodded still unsure.

"You are five correct?" Severus asked and Harry shrugged. "I do believe you are and your birthday is in a few months, so almost six."

"Birthday?" Harry asked.

"Have you never celebrated your birthday?"

"No, only Dudley has a birthday," Harry said quickly.

"I'm sure Mrs. Weasley would love to throw you a party."

"Why did you come to get me?" Harry asked quickly before clamping his hands over his mouth.

"The Headmaster, you haven't met him yet, but you will, asked me to check on you," Severus explained. "When I arrived it was obvious they were mistreating you, and I decided you were best to be brought to Hogwarts."

"Will I be staying with you?"

"Yes, I'm afraid," Severus replied as though still unsure of that decision himself. Lily would kill him if he didn't do something to protect her only child.

After lunch they went back to the school and Harry settled in for a nap after a tiring morning. Severus retired to his potions lab, leaving the door open in case the boy were to wake up while he was working. He hadn't planned on taking in the boy, but how could he not after his own rough childhood, and after promising Lily that the boy would be kept safe. Petunia and that fat oaf of a husband of hers were the scum of the Earth, anyone who had it in them to abuse an innocent child no matter the reason didn't deserve to live prosperous lives. The worst part of all was that they seemed to be raising another little monster who would more than likely grow up to be no better than they were. He set to work on some nutrition supplement potions for the boy who was severely stunted in size from the lack of nourishment. Severus shuddered to think of how the boy was treated before he was old enough to take some responsibility for his own care.

A few hours later Harry looked up and smiled at the man from his place on the floor with the parchment and crayons that Severus had given him the day before. It had only been a few days but things here at Hogwarts were definitely leaps and bounds over the Dursley's, he secretly hoped that he would never have to go back. Severus offered to show him around the castle before dinner, and he eagerly accepted the offer, he wanted to see it all if possible.

Severus led him up into the Great Hall and explained that this was a school and in a few months the students would be returning. The Great Hall was where all the meals were held, and the he and Harry would eat in here too. Harry was even more captivated with the ceiling and how it reflected the afternoon sky. Then Severus, told him that he would be attending school here when he turned eleven and it took everything in him not to jump up and down with excitement. He never believed that he would live anywhere else, that magic could even exist and now he was learning that he was a wizard and he would get to go to a magic school. Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia would both turn so red they would explode if they knew this.

Harry loved everything about the castle, especially the library, he couldn't get over how many books there were, and Madam Pince had given him a book of fairy tales to keep. He thought the inside of the castle was amazing, but when Severus took him outdoors onto the grounds he couldn't believe it. He saw the giant squid swimming in the black lake and Severus explained to him that mermaids and all sorts of creatures lived in the water and made Harry promise to never go in the water or the forbidden forest without an adult. When they met Hagrid on the edge of the ground Harry immediately hid behind Severus' legs out of fear of the half giant and his large dog.

"'S alright lad, we won't hurt yah," Hagrid laughed loudly.

"Harry, this is Hagrid, he's the gamekeeper, he takes care of the school," Severus said prying him out from behind his legs. "Introduce yourself."

"Hi..um..I'm Harry," Harry said nervously extending his hand for the half giant to shake.

"Nice ter meet yah lad," Hagrid said shaking his hand lightly.

"Can I pet him?" Harry asked eyeing Fang warily.

"Course yah can!" Hagrid beamed.

He had only been with Severus for two days and he was completely overwhelmed by it all. The castle and the lake and the forest, all of it was real and he was going to be staying here. Severus had promised he'd never have to go back to the Dursley's and he found himself really wanting to believe the older man. To believe that everything was going to be better from this moment forward.

"Sev, why do you want me?" Harry asked over dinner and the man stared at him thoughtfully before speaking.

"I made a promise to your mother before she died that I would take care of you. I would have come for you sooner had I known your circumstances," Severus replied seriously.

"Thank you for coming," Harry smiled at the dark man.

"You deserve to be a kid for as long as possible. You do not have to thank me," Severus said with a soft smile playing on his lips.


End file.
